Bromley Unite members stop council tax bailiffs

On 13 July around 30 activists from the Unite trade union and local residents in Bromley, south London, stopped bailiffs evicting Paul Rooney and his 14 year-old daughter Roisin.

Paul gave up work as a social work manager to look after Roisin who has physical and learning disabilities.

Tory controlled Bromley council has outsourced its council tax collection service to Liberata. The company reportedly claims that Paul owes just over £2,000 in council tax. It is alleged that Liberata has also tacked on £49,000 in solicitors' fees!

Unite says that mistakes by Liberata in not processing correctly his application for council tax benefit delayed his council tax payments.

Paul's case is now going before a judge to see if it needs to go back to court.

Unite regional officer, Onay Kasab, who represents members at the council, said: "This appalling case just reinforces what Unite has repeatedly argued; that privatising council services has been a horrendous mistake.

"Our members at the council will continue to fight for the maintenance of decent in-house council services and the jettisoning of the deeply flawed privatisation agenda."

Bromley council is determined to become a 'commissioning council' ie privatising its services, and reducing the number of council employees from 4,000 to just 300 - despite having £130 million in its reserves.

The privatisation programme has been opposed by Unite's council members who recently staged a fourth wave of strikes over the plans.

Donate to the Socialist Party

Coronavirus crisis - Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.

When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.

Inevitably, during the crisis we have not been able to sell the Socialist and raise funds in the ways we normally would.

We therefore urgently appeal to all our viewers to donate to our special coronavirus appeal.